Oklahoma doctor charged in opioid deaths of 5 patients

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma doctor has been charged with second-degree murder in the overdose deaths of at least five patients from the powerful painkillers and other drugs she had prescribed them.

Oklahoma’s attorney general announced on Friday five second-degree murder counts against Regan Nichols, whose patients died while she worked at a Midwest City clinic. A judge also issued a warrant for her arrest.

A probable cause affidavit alleges that Nichols prescribed more than 1,800 opioid pills to the patients who died even though they didn’t need them. She prescribed three of the five patients a lethal combination of painkillers, muscle relaxants and anti-anxiety drugs.

A state investigation also found that Nichols prescribed more than 3 million doses of controlled dangerous drugs from 2010-2014.

Nichols couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

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